Railroad car air brake failure indicator

ABSTRACT

A shaft extending transversely of a railroad car has flags on each end of it. If the brakes are working properly the shaft holds the flags in a first position, but if there is too little or too much travel of the brake cylinder actuating member upon the occurrence of a pressure reduction in the train line, the shaft rotates the flags to a position indicating such a malfunction.

United States Patent Hawthorne {4 1 Sept. 19, 1972 RAILROAD CAR AIRBRAKE FAILURE 555,809 3/1896 High ..1 16/55 INDICATOR 645,494 3/1900Rogers l 16/ l 27 [72] Inventor: Vaughn T. Hawthorne 5223 Deep 1,339,6855/1970 Blair et al. ..l l6/55 gg Road Mechamcsburg PrimaryExaminer-Louis J. Capozi Att0rney--Darbo, Robertson & Vandenburgh [22]Filed: April 21, 1971 211 Appl. No.2 136,050 [57] ABSTRACT A shaftextending transversely of a railroad car has flags on each end of it. Ifthe brakes are working [52] US. Cl. ..ll6/7 0, 116/55, 303/86 properlythe shaft holds the flags in a first position but [51] Int. Cl. ..G0ll19/12 if there is too little or too h travel f the brake Field of Search70, 55, 65, 132; cylinder actuating member upon the occurrence of a303/36 pressure reduction in the train line, the shaft rotates the flagsto a position indicating such a malfunction. [56] References Cited 7Claims, 6 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 506,787 10/1893' Mattice..1 16/127 I2 I3 2 26 J 1 g lllll II lll 2| -44 VALVE RESERVOIR '8 l Ll7 K BRAKES i 7 ll i r" BRAKE l5 2 CYLINDER I I5 4 \l f I ll l2 IO E2PATENTEDSEP 19 I912 SHEET 1 [IF 2 H. no Am RL BY c TO TRAIN LINEINVENTOR:

VAUGHN r HAWTHORNE a gmamfiam 2M Attorneys RAILROAD CAR AIR BRAKEFAILURE INDICATOR BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of therequirements for checking on the operation of railroad car air brakeequipment is that cars must be checked to see that the brakes on eachcar work when they should. Conventionally this is done in l therailroadyard after the train has been made up, but before it actuallyleavesthe yard. This requires that after the train is made up all of theair brake hoses must be coupled and an elapsed time provided to permitthe charging of the air reservoirs in each of the cars. Thereafter apressure reduction is made in the train air line of a magnitude normallysufficient to set the brakes on all of the cars. An inspector must thenwalk the length of the train to see that the brakes on each of the carsis applied. Thereafter the brakes are released by re-establishing thepressure in the train line. The inspector then walks the length of thetrain to see that the brakes on each of the cars is released.

There are disadvantages to the checking of the cars brakes for the firsttime after it has been put into a train. A number of disadvantages wouldbe overcome if it was known at the time that a car was received in arailroad yard that the brakes on that car had been operating improperly.The car then could be immediately set out for the necessary repairs. Theprimary purpose of the present invention is to provide a signalingdevice which will give such information to those who observe a carduring the course of its travels or upon its arrival at a railroad yard.If the piston rod of the brake cylinder on the car is not movingsufiiciently to apply the brakes when it should, or if its travel isexcessive, the result will be that a signal will be established whichsignal will remain in effect until corrective action is taken.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the bottom ofa railroad car showing an embodiment of the invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a section taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a correct brakeapplication;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating an incorrect brakeoperation; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating an operation where thereis excessive travel in the brake cylinder in applying the brakes.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS The following disclosure is offeredfor public dissemination in return for the grant of a patent. Althoughit is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is notintended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover eachnew inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise itby variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claimsat the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, asit is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts,improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

' A railroad car, generally 10, is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1.It has two ends 11 and two sides 12. The air brake system includes atrain line 13 which consists of a length of pipe for each of the cars,with the line between cars being coupled at each end of the car byflexible hoses. The brake cylinder 14 has a piston rod 15 connected to alever 16 mounted on a pivot 17. A member 18 connects the lever to thecar brakes 19. The brake cylinder 14 communicates with a valve 20, whichalso communicates with an air reservoir or tank 21 as well as train line13.

As thus far described, the apparatus is conventional. The operation issuch that when a relatively high air pressure is applied to train line13, the reservoir 21 is initially charged through the operation of valve20. At the same time the brake cylinder 14 is operated in a manner so asto release the car brakes 19. If it is desired to then apply the brakes19, a reduction in pressure is made in the train line 13 (hereinreferred to as a relatively low pressure in the train line). Thisactuates valve 20 so that air under pressure from reservoir 21 isapplied to brake cylinder 14, the application being such that a pistonrod 15 is moved to apply the brakes 19. A malfunction occurs when thepiston rod 15 does not move to apply the brakes in response to arelatively low pressure in train line 13. Another undesirable occurrenceis when there is excessive travel of piston rod 15 made during theapplication of the brakes.

The present invention comprises a rod 25 which extends transversely ofthe car. At each end of the rod, and thus at the sides 12 of the car,are flags 26 which serve as sensible signaling elements. The exact formthat these flags take is not of special significance to the invention.Suffice it to say that they have a first position that they occupy ifthere has been no malfunction of the cars brakes, and a second positionat which they will be located after there has been a malfunction of thecar brakes. These flags can, for example, be such as can be read by theautomatic car number scanning equipment to produce an indication inconjunction with the car number if improper brake operation hasoccurred.

Movement between the two flag positions is accomplished by a rotationalmovement of rod 25. To this end the rod is rotatably mounted as by meansof being journaled in a housing 27. A coil spring 28 has one end hookedon a pin 29 forming a part of housing 27 and the other end locked in aslot in the rod 25. The arrangement of the spring is such that it urgesthe rod 25 away from the first flag position (non-improper brakeoperation) and toward the second rod position (indicative of improperbrake operation), i.e., rod 25 is urged to move in the directionindicated by arrow 30.

Within the housing 27 is a fixed wall 31 forming a part of the housing.This wall has an annular boss 32. The wall and boss have an axialopening 33 in which a plunger member 34 is slideably journaled. Aflexible bellows 35 is secured to boss 32 and to plunger member 34 toform a seal preventing the loss of air through opening 33.

A rubber diaphragm 37 separates an internal chamber 38 from an internalchamber 39. The periphery of the diaphragm 37 is secured to the innerwall of housing 27 and the center of the diaphragm is secured to plungermember 34. The diaphragm has a small orifice 40 therein providing fluidcommunication between chambers 38 and 39.

Within chamber 39 there is a spring 42 which is in compression betweenthe end wall of .the housing and a washer 43 secured to plunger. member34. A conduit 44 provides fluid communication, between chamber 39 andthe train. line 13. At the chamber end of this fluid communication-thereis an orifice 45.

The pivotal mounting 17 for lever 16 is in the form of ashaftto whichthe lever is securedand which rotates with the pivotalmovementof thelever. This shaft extends, through housing 27 and is journaled therein.Within thehousing the shaft carriesa finger 47 secured thereto. Also,within the housing is an abutment device on the shaft25 whichdefinesopposed abutments 48 and 49.

When the train line is charged, and as the reservoir .21, is-filling,air under pressure passes through conduit 44 to chamber 39. Orifice 40is smaller. thanorifice45 so that the pressure builds up in chamber 39.This causes the diaphragm 37 to move into chamber 38 with a,corresponding movement of the plunger 34, as indicated in dotted linesin FIG. 2. After a period of time, there is sufficient air that passesthroughorifice 40 to equalize the pressure in chambers 38 and 39 so thatthe diaphragm is positioned as indicated in full lines in FIGS. 2 and 3.With the piston rod in the brakesoff position, the finger 47 is free ofabutment 48, as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, the end of plunger34' is in the path of abutment 49, thusresisting the force of spring 28tending to rotate rod 25. Rod, 25 is in the position at which the flagsindicate that there has been no brake malfunction.

Assume that a brake application is now made, which is initiated byareduction in air pressure in train line 13. This causes a correspondingreduction in pressure in chamber 39, but becauseof the small orifice 40the pressure in chamber 38 does 1 not immediately equilibrate to that ofchamber 39. The result is that the diaphragm 37 moves into chamber 39withdrawing the plunger 34 against the pressure of spring 42. Thisposition is illustrated in FIG. 4. The plunger 34 is now free ofabutment 49. However, assuming that there has been a proper applicationof the brakes by the brake cylinder 14, the piston rod 15 has rotatedshaft 17 (in the direction indicated by arrow 50) so as to place thefinger 47 in the path of abutment 48 so that the rotational movement 30cannot occur. The flags 26 therefore remain in the position indicativeof no brake malfunction.

However, if we assume that there has, for example, been a malfunction invalve 20 so that the air from reservoir 21 was not applied to cylinder14 to move piston rod 15, therefore, the shaft 17 did not rotate and thefinger 47 remained away from abutment 48. Thus, the spring 28 was freeto rotate the rod 25 and move the flags 26 to the position indicative ofa brake malfunction. This is illustrated in FIG. 5. As a part of therepair operation that will then be performed on the car, the shaft 25and plunger 34 are returned to their original positions illustrated inFIG. 2.

It sometimes will happen that there is excessive travel in the brakelinkage, an undesirable condition. Excessive travel will result infurther movement of shaft 17 so that the finger 47 moves to the positionillustrated in FIG. 6, in which position it is free of thepath ofmovement of abutment 48. The same application of the brakes of courseretracted plunger 34. Now both plunger 34 and finger 47 are free oftheir. respective abutments 49 and 48so that shaft 25 can rotate underthe urging of spring 28. This, of course, results in a positioning offlags 26 so as to indicate a brake malfunction.

I claim:

1. In an air brake system for a vehicle having brakes wherein there is abrake cylinder having a brake operating member connected to the brakes,an air pressure line, and valve means connected to the cylinder and theline for positioning the member in the brake released position inresponse to a first pressure in the line and positioning the member inthe brake applied position in response to a second pressure in the line,the

improvement comprising: i

' a signaling device onsaid vehicle for indicating a malfunction in thesystem, said device including:

pressure responsive means connected to said line and having a firstmovable part in a first position in response to said first pressure andin a second position in response to said second pressure;

a second movable part connected to said member and positioned in a firstposition when said member is in an incorrect position for brakeapplication and positioned in a second position when said member is in acorrect position for brake application; and

sensible signal means operatively associated with said movable parts togive a signal indicative of proper operation when both said parts are inthe first positions, to give a signal indicative of proper operationwhen both said parts are in the second position and to give a signalindicative of improper operation when the first part is in the secondposition and the second part is in the first position.

2. A signaling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensiblesignal means comprises flags at both sides of said vehicle, a rodextending transversely of said vehicle and attached to said flags, andmeans for rotatably supporting said rod.

3. A signaling device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said rod normallyis positioned so that said flags are in the position at which they givea signal indicative of proper operation, a spring connected to said rodand urging said rod toward the position at which the flags give a signalindicative of improper operation, abutment means on said rod, said firstpart being positioned to contact said abutment means and block themovement of the rod at said normal position when the first part is inthe first position and to unblock the movement of the rod when the firstpart is in the second position, said second part being positioned tocontact said abutment means and block the movement of the rod at saidnormal position when the second part is in the second position and tounblock the movement of the rod when the second part is in the firstposition.

4. A signaling device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the second partis in the first position when the member moves too little to set thebrakes and when the member moves too-much in setting the brakes.

5. A signaling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein I the second partis in the first position when the member moves too little to set thebrakes and when the member moves too much in setting the brakes.

6.'A signaling device as set forth in claim 1, including a rod rotatablymounted and forming a part of said signaling means, said rod beingnormally positioned at which a signal is given indicative of properoperation, a spring connected to said rod and urging said rod toward theposition indicative of improper brake operation, abutment means on saidrod, said first part being positioned to contact said abutment means andblock the movement of the rod at said normal position when the firstpart is in the first position and to unblock the movement of the rodwhen the first part is in the second position, said second part beingpositioned to contact said abutment means and block the movement of therod at said normal position when the second part is in the secondposition and to unblock the movement of the rod when the second part isin the first position.

7. In an air brake system for a vehicle having brakes wherein there is abrake cylinder having a brake operating member connected to the brakes,an air pressure line, and valve means connected to the cylinder and theline for positioning the member in the brake released position inresponse to -a first pressure in the line and positioning the member inthe brake applied position in response to a second pressure in the line,the

mounted in the housing, spring means connected to the shaft for urgingthe shaft in one rotational direction, and abutment means attached tothe shaft and projecting therefrom and positioned within the housing; v

a second shaft rotatably mounted in the housing and extending generallytransverse to the first shaft, means connecting said second shaft to themember for positioning the second shaftin one rotational position whenthe member is in the brake released position and for positioning thesecond shaft in another rotational position when the member is in thebrake applied position, a finger attached to the second shaft andprojecting therefrom and positioned within the housing, said fingerbeing positioned to contact the abutment means and block it againstmovement in said one rotational direction when the second shaft is inthe said other rotational position and to be free of said abutment meanswhen said second shaft is in said one rotational position; and

pressure responsive means connected to said air pressure line andincluding a plunger movable between two positions within said housing inresponse to variations in air pressure applied to the pressureresponsive means by said air pressure line, said plunger being in afirst position at which it contacts the abutment means and blocks itagainst movement in said one rotational direction when said firstpressure exists in said air pressure line and being in a second positionat which it is free of said abutment means when said second pressureexists ip the air pr essgre line.

1. In an air brake system for a vehicle having brakes wherein there is abrake cylinder having a brake operating member connected to the brakes,an air pressure line, and valve means connected to the cylinder and theline for positioning the member in the brake released position inresponse to a first pressure in the line and positioning the member inthe brake applied position in response to a second pressure in the line,the improvement comprising: a signaling device on said vehicle forindicating a malfunction in the system, said device including: pressureresponsive means connected to said line and having a first movable partin a first position in response to said first pressure and in a secondposition in response to said second pressure; a second movable partconnected to said member and positioned in a first position when saidmember is in an incorrect position for Brake application and positionedin a second position when said member is in a correct position for brakeapplication; and sensible signal means operatively associated with saidmovable parts to give a signal indicative of proper operation when bothsaid parts are in the first positions, to give a signal indicative ofproper operation when both said parts are in the second position and togive a signal indicative of improper operation when the first part is inthe second position and the second part is in the first position.
 2. Asignaling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensible signalmeans comprises flags at both sides of said vehicle, a rod extendingtransversely of said vehicle and attached to said flags, and means forrotatably supporting said rod.
 3. A signaling device as set forth inclaim 2, wherein said rod normally is positioned so that said flags arein the position at which they give a signal indicative of properoperation, a spring connected to said rod and urging said rod toward theposition at which the flags give a signal indicative of improperoperation, abutment means on said rod, said first part being positionedto contact said abutment means and block the movement of the rod at saidnormal position when the first part is in the first position and tounblock the movement of the rod when the first part is in the secondposition, said second part being positioned to contact said abutmentmeans and block the movement of the rod at said normal position when thesecond part is in the second position and to unblock the movement of therod when the second part is in the first position.
 4. A signaling deviceas set forth in claim 3, wherein the second part is in the firstposition when the member moves too little to set the brakes and when themember moves too much in setting the brakes.
 5. A signaling device asset forth in claim 1, wherein the second part is in the first positionwhen the member moves too little to set the brakes and when the membermoves too much in setting the brakes.
 6. A signaling device as set forthin claim 1, including a rod rotatably mounted and forming a part of saidsignaling means, said rod being normally positioned at which a signal isgiven indicative of proper operation, a spring connected to said rod andurging said rod toward the position indicative of improper brakeoperation, abutment means on said rod, said first part being positionedto contact said abutment means and block the movement of the rod at saidnormal position when the first part is in the first position and tounblock the movement of the rod when the first part is in the secondposition, said second part being positioned to contact said abutmentmeans and block the movement of the rod at said normal position when thesecond part is in the second position and to unblock the movement of therod when the second part is in the first position.
 7. In an air brakesystem for a vehicle having brakes wherein there is a brake cylinderhaving a brake operating member connected to the brakes, an air pressureline, and valve means connected to the cylinder and the line forpositioning the member in the brake released position in response to afirst pressure in the line and positioning the member in the brakeapplied position in response to a second pressure in the line, theimprovement comprising: a signaling device on said vehicle forindicating a malfunction in the system, said device including: ahousing; sensible signal means including a first shaft rotatably mountedin the housing, spring means connected to the shaft for urging the shaftin one rotational direction, and abutment means attached to the shaftand projecting therefrom and positioned within the housing; a secondshaft rotatably mounted in the housing and extending generallytransverse to the first shaft, means connecting said second shaft to themember for positioning the second shaft in one rotational position whenthe member is in the brake released position aNd for positioning thesecond shaft in another rotational position when the member is in thebrake applied position, a finger attached to the second shaft andprojecting therefrom and positioned within the housing, said fingerbeing positioned to contact the abutment means and block it againstmovement in said one rotational direction when the second shaft is inthe said other rotational position and to be free of said abutment meanswhen said second shaft is in said one rotational position; and pressureresponsive means connected to said air pressure line and including aplunger movable between two positions within said housing in response tovariations in air pressure applied to the pressure responsive means bysaid air pressure line, said plunger being in a first position at whichit contacts the abutment means and blocks it against movement in saidone rotational direction when said first pressure exists in said airpressure line and being in a second position at which it is free of saidabutment means when said second pressure exists in the air pressureline.